Steps You Can Take To Improve Curb Appeal
Everyone wants to make a good first impression. And sometimes, that first impression involves your house. Curb appeal is essential. It affects your home’s value, sense of pride, and reputation amongst neighbors.
We’ve all driven by that house. You know, the one with the shabby, unkept appearance. Bushes that look like they haven’t been trimmed since the Stone Age. Chipped paint. Missing siding. A sagging deck that even Indiana Jones might hesitate to step out upon. You also know there will be clutter in the yard, plants that look suspiciously like weeds rather than any intentional landscaping, and trash sitting at the curb.
The funny thing is sometimes an owner can have “neglect blindness” and not even realize that their home is that home. Over the years, it’s easy to get busy and lose sight of simple maintenance or to fail to make timely changes or upgrades to keep the appearance of your home fresh or relevant. Even the average homeowner is often guilty of simple oversights that negatively impact their curb appeal. After all, it looked great when you bought it, right? Let’s examine some of the mistakes homeowners make that lower curb appeal and some of the solutions that can make a difference.
Clean Up Your Home And Yard
One huge mistake homeowners make is not keeping the home’s exterior clean. Picking up debris and general cleaning can make a big difference. Dirty windows attract insects, and is there anything more off-putting to look at than a swarm of bugs? Hose off dirty siding, sweep up, declutter the yard, and get rid of things just sitting around that you know you will not use anymore.
Repair And Maintain The Areas Around Your Home
Neglected maintenance is one of the biggest impacts on curb appeal. Take care of any small maintenance projects you might have been putting off. If there’s missing siding, replace it. If there’s peeling trim, repaint it. If a fence post is tilting, straighten it. When something is visibly in need of repair, it’s on its way to becoming an eyesore.
Tend To Your Vegetation
Another factor that impacts curb appeal is the appearance of your surrounding greenery. Mowing, weeding, and trimming are important tasks. When the yard isn’t mowed or your vegetation is out of control, it is unappealing to look at, and you are creating conditions that will attract more insects and pests. So, unless you want those snakes hanging around, it’s time to dig out that lawnmower.
Add What Is Lacking
Sometimes it is not items in disrepair but the lack of items altogether that may be hurting your curb appeal. What’s a home without hardscaping? Boring, that’s what. And a landscape without trees, bushes, flowers, and other plants is nothing but a monotonous patch of grass. A house needs those defining elements like a window needs curtains—it simply seems unfinished without them. Even when maintenance is kept up, and your exterior is clean, it only takes a glance to know that something is missing without some of these enhancements. Properties without landscaping or hardscaping are among the lowest-priced and the last to sell on the real estate market for a reason.
Repair Or Replace Your Existing Hardscaping
If you do have hardscaping elements, are they in good condition? Evaluate the condition, age, and appearance of your steps, decks, patio, and other hardscape elements and how they come together. Decks, when in disrepair, draw the eye in the most negative ways. Worn out, sagging, discolored wood, and the like are not pleasant to look at, and they can also be dangerous and an accident waiting to happen. Cracked, uneven, weedy patios, crumbling, unstable retaining walls, or other failing stone features are an eyesore that can also be a hazard. Attention to these prominent features, including your walkways and driveway, is imperative. These areas are usually large, and the first thing noticed and they typically require annual maintenance for proper upkeep. Old, dated, or items in disrepair can hurt your curb appeal. Items that don’t work well together and look like they were thrown together haphazardly are not doing you any favors either.
Why Professional Landscaping And Hardscaping Services Are Best
We aren’t here to bash do-it-yourselfers, but there’s something you must know: The services of a professional can do wonders and typically far exceed the homeowner’s abilities when it comes to making home improvements. A pro is not only an experienced and skilled designer, but they are also knowledgeable about the ideal hardscape and softscape materials that best suit your environment and showcase your home. It’s a modest investment that is well worth it.
For Professional Help, Trust Kenney Landscaping
In Rochester, MI, and the surrounding area, there is simply no finer choice than the landscape and hardscape professionals of Kenney Landscaping. We understand curb appeal and have what it takes to transform your home. Contact us for more information.